Bouquet holder



g- 7, 1951 o. L. WURZLOW 2,563,202

BOUQUET HOLDER Filed Aug. 18, 1950 INVENTOR.

OLGA LOUISE WURZLOW ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 7, 1951 BOUQUET HOLDER Olga Louise Wurzlom'Houma, La. Application-August 1s, 195t;.-saia No.'1'80;28'0

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to bouquet holders and more particularly to an ornamental device of this character which can be conveniently carried in the hand and which will materially enhancethe appearance of the flowers or bouquet supported therein.

Bouquet holders currently manufactured in accordance with prior art teachings include severalmajor failings. The most importantof these are the cumbersomeness of thedeviceand thelack of adequate adjustability wherebya single holder may beconveniently employed without any necessity for giving undue consideration to the size or variety of the bouquet to be supported therein.

It is accordinglya major object of the present invention to provide an improved bouquet holder which will be extremely light in weight and which may be conveniently carried in the palm of the hand.

Another object of the invention to provide a novel bouquet holder having a relatively wide range of adjustability whereby, within the structural limitations of the device, large, medium or small bouquets may be securely supported therein.

Another object of the present invention to provide improved locking means for the secure'retention of a bouquet within a holder of the class with which weare presently concerned.

. Another object of the present .invention to provide a novel bouquet holder which may be readily assembled and disassembled, to permit the adequate cleaning thereof. y

A further object of the invention to provide a novel bouquet holder which will function with equal efiiciency with natural or'artificial'fiowers.

A still further object of the present invention i to provide an improved bouquet holder which may be manufactured economically from a wide range of materials and which will be highly ornamental-as well as strong and durable.

.Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification taken in conjunction with the accompanyin drawings, wherein: I

Fig. .l is a front elevational view of a bouquet holder constructed in accordance with the vpresent invention;

Fig. 2, a side elevational view of the bouquet holder of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a vertical sectional .view through the .bouquet holder taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows:

Fig. 4, a detail sectional view of the-upper extremity of the bouquet holder, illustrating the locking ring in engaging position; and

Fig. 5, a transverse sectional view through the bouquet holder taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3-and looking in the direction of the arrows.

With continued reference to the drawingsthe novel bouquet holder includes a handle portion l0 manufactured from any suitablematerial and having an external conformation especially designed to fit comfortably within the palm'of thehand.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the handle or gripping portion I0 is slightly tapered, increasing in diameter from bottom top, and is provided with a plurality .of peripheral ridges I 'l. A highly ornamental appearance "is thus attained and the possibility of a smooth surface which may slip from the'fingers or grasp of the user is obviated. If desired, -the handle portion may be manufactured from mother-ofpearl, from precious metals, from plastic, or any other of a wide range of ornamental materials.

The handle .I 0 is provided with a longitudinally disposed andsubstantially centrally located bore [2 .intended for the reception of a locking mem-' her or bolt I3 which fits snugly therein. The

lower extremity of the locking bolt 13 is provided with an ornamental, enlarged head [4, harmoniously designed so as to augment the appearance of the handle, and including a shoulder portion 15 uponwhich the handle portion rests. The upper extremity of the bolt projects through the bore [2 and is externally screw-threaded as indicated at IQ for .a purpose to be describedmore fully hereinafter.

.A sleeve-like holder H is mounted upon the threaded extremity of the bolt l3 and a substantially egg or oval-shaped collarlfl surrounds the tubular lower portion of theholder ll, 'the collar 18 being provided with a flattened base I9 having a centrally located aperture therein through which the bolt, I3 projects. The upper periphery of the collar 18 may, if desired .include arcuate lips v2i) .andthe collar per se may be of any suitable material and appropriately ornamented. .As illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3 of thedrawing, the lower extremity of the tubular portion of the holder l1 preferably .fitssnugly within the flattened base IQ of the collar andincludes a complementarily flattened base 2! provided with a centrally located aperture to permit passage of the extremity of the bolt [3.

.of the sleeve [1 and engageable with the threaded extremity l6 of the bolt 13, provides-for the .secure mounting .of collar, sleeve and handle in properly assembled relationship and permits of portion 25 having an outer peripheral contour resembling foliage. As will be more readily apparent from an examination of Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, at least one of the leaf-like members 23 is provided with a plurality of spaced,

axially aligned apertures 26 located adjacent the upper extremity of the stem portion thereof.

The nature of the material from which the sleeve l1 and leaf-like members 23 is formed is such that the stems of the leaf-like members are possessed of an inherent resiliency so that while they may be drawn toward each other, and retained in such compressed position, upon release they will return to their normal, outwardly flaring position. -While the sleeve I1 and collar l8 have been illustrated and described as of separate manufacture, it will be obvious that these members may be of integral construction with the leaf-like members either appropriately secured thereto or formed integrally therewith. Further, handle portion and holder portion may also be formed integrally; however, for purposes of economy of manufacture and simplicity of cleansing as well as ability to combine a plurality of different materials, whether for reasons of ornamental results or otherwise, the separable construction illustrated and described is preferred.

A locking or restraining ring 21 surround the stem-like portions 24 of the members 23 and is reciprocable thereupon. The interior diameter of-the ring 21 is such that normally, the ring will rest upon the outwardly flaring lips 20 of the collar l8, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Upward movement of the ring 21, to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, forces the stemlike portions 24 inwardly toward each other whereby pressure will be exerted upon the lower portion of a. bouquet inserted within the holder.

A pin 28 is provided upon an extremity of a flexible member such as a chain 29 or the like, suitably secured to a ring or clasp 3|] mounted upon the holder in a suitable position as upon the collar I1, and this pin is selectively engageable with one of the apertures 26 in a stem-like portion 24 to lock the ring 21 in adjusted position. In practice, the restraining or locking ring 21 is moved upwardly upon the stem portions 24 until suitable frictional engagement is had with the lower portion of the bouquet. The pin is then inserted within an appropriate aperture 26, the pointed extremity of the stem piercing and entering into the lower portion of the bouquet,

and the ring is thus locked in position with the bouquet securely retained within the holder.

' A rotatable collar 3| may surround a reduced portion of the head I4 of the bolt and a second flexible member or chain 32 may be provided, attached at the lower extremity thereof to a ring or clasp 33 mounted upon the rotatable collar 3|. The upper extremity of the chain 32 may be at tached to the clasp or ring 30. Not only do the chains 29 and 32 add materially to the delicate ornamental appearance of the device but the 4 chain 32 will surround the back of the hand or wrist of the user and substantially prevent any possibility of the bouquet holder being inadvertently dropped.

The use of the bouquet holder thus described is particularly simple. The lower extremity of a bouquet is inserted within the tubular lower portion of the sleeve-like member or holder II. This is readily'accomplished, whether the bouquet is a formal one, having a prepared and/or wrapped lower extremity, or comprising a loosely assembled group of flowers. The upward taper of the member l1, including the stem-like portions thereof, permits of the reception of varying sizes of bouquets, particular reference being had to the exterior diameter of the stem portion thereof.

The ring 2'! is then adjusted to provide for frictional engagement between the stem portions 24 and the enlarged extremities 25 thereof with the bouquet and the locking pin 28 is inserted within an appropriate aperture 26 to insure the secure retention of the bouquet within the holder. It has been found in practice that a bouquet holder constructed in accordance with the disclosure of the instant application functions with maximum efliciency without particular regard to the size of the floral portion of the bouquet, within reasonable limits, or to the variety of flowers from which the bouquet may be formed. Theornamental configuration of the extremities of the leaf-like portions which surround the lower portion of the bouquet, whereby foliage such as ferns, leaves or the like, is simulated, adds immeasurably to the overall appearance of the device. Further, the ornamental handle and delicate chains associated therewith provides adevice closely resembling an article of highly orna mental jewelry, enhanced by the flowers of the bouquet supported thereby. The arrangement is such that the lower extremity of the bouquet, which is housed within the closed, tubular lower extremity of the member l1, may be surrounded by an appropriately moistened packing, as is well known in this art but impractical with prior art devices, for preservation of the freshness of the bouquet.

It will be obvious to those skilled in this art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope 1 thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bouquet holder including a handle portion provided with an axial bore, a collar having an apertured bottom wall secured to said handle portion, an upwardly tapered sleeve-like holder receivable within said collar, an apertured bottom wall on said sleeve-like holder, securing means extending through the bore in the handle portion and said apertured walls, a plurality of resilient and outwardly flaring leaf-like members extending upwardly from said sleeve-like holder, at least one of said leaf-like members being provided with a plurality of axially aligned spaced apertures, a locking ring surrounding said leaf-like members and reciprocable thereupon to engage said members with a bouquet positioned within said holder, a locking pin selectively engageable with one of said aligned apertures for securing said locking ring in adjusted position, a rotatable collar mounted adjacent the lower extremity of the handle portion, a ring-like clasp carried by said collar a second clasp mounted adjacent the opposite extremity of said handle portion, a flexible member having its extremities connected to said clasps, and a second flexible member having one extremity secured to said second clasp, the free extremity of said second flexible member being secured to an extremity of said locking pin.

2. A bouquet holder including a handle portion provided with an axial bore, an upwardly tapered sleeve-like holder, an apertured bottom wall on said sleeve-like holder, securing means extending through said axial bore and said apertured bottom wall, a plurality of resilient and outwardly fiaring leaf-like members extending upwardly from said sleeve-like holder, at least one of said leaf-like members being provided with a plurality of axially aligned spaced apertures, a locking ring surrounding said leaf-like members and reciprocable thereupon to engage said members with a bouquet positioned within said holder, a locking pin selectively engageable with one of said aligned apertures for securing said locking ring in adjusted position, flexible means having one extremity secured to said holder, the opposite extremity of said flexible means being secured to said locking pin to prevent separation thereof from said holder, at rtatable collar mounted adjacent the lower extremity of the handle portion, and flexible means having one extremity secured to said rotatable collar, the opposite extremity of said last mentioned flexible means being secured to said holder at a location remote from said rotatable collar.

3. A bouquet holder including a handle portion provided with an axial bore, an upwardly tapered sleeve-like holder, securing means extending through said axial bore for mounting said sleeve-like holder upon said handle portion, a plurality of resilient and outwardly flaring leaf-like members extending upwardly from said holder, at least one of said leaf-like members being provided with a plurality of axially aligned spaced apertures, a locking ring surrounding said leaf-like members and reciprocable thereupon to engage said members with a bouquet positioned within said holder, a locking pin selectively engageable with one of said aligned apertures for securing said locking pin in adjusted position, and flexible means having one extremity attached to said holder, the opposite extremity of said flexible means being secured to said locking pin to prevent separation thereof from said holder.

4. A bouquet holder including a handle portion, an upwardly tapered sleeve-like holder mounted upon said handle portion, a plurality of resilient and outwardly flaring leaf-like members extending upwardly from saidv sleeve-like holder, at least one of said leaf-like members being provided with a plurality of axially aligned spaced apertures, a locking ring about said leaflike members and reciprocable thereupon to engage said members with a bouquet positioned within said holder, and a locking pin selectively engageable with one of said aligned apertures ior securing said locking ring in adjusted posiion.

5. A bouquet holder including a handle portion, an upwardly tapered sleeve-like holder mounted upon said handle portion, a plurality of outwardly flaring leaf-like members extending upwardly from said sleeve-like holder, at least one of said leaf-like members being provided with a plurality of axially aligned spaced apertures, a locking ring about said leaf-like members and reciprocable thereupon to engage said members with a bouquet positioned within said holder, and means selectively engaging one of said aligned apertures for securing said locking ring in adjusted position. I

OLGA LOUISE WURZLOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 65,204 Frye May 28, 1867 190,248 Potts May 1, 1877 237,841 Erhard Feb. 15, 1881 558,733 Lathrop Apr. 21, 1896 

